The Bug is hitting the windshield.
Volkswagen is about to end production on the VW Beetle—better known to many drivers as “the Bug.” And while there were rumors about a next generation electric version of the iconic vehicle, the company says that car will not be made.
The distinctive rotund vehicle has been a part of the automotive scene since 1938. It took off in the 40s and became a part of pop culture in the 60s and 70s, when it was virtually impossible to drive through a neighborhood without seeing it parked in at least one driveway.
The Beetle has been squashed before, of course. VW ended production in 2003, but brought the car back in 2011. And, it’s possible the Beetle will rise again somewhere down the road, but Volkswagen officials hint that won’t be anytime soon.
“Two or three generations is enough now,” said Frank Welsch, head of technical development at Volkswagen. “[The Beetle was] made with history in mind but you can’t do it five times and have a new new new Beetle.”
Welsch did not provide a timeline for when the company will roll the final bug off of the assembly line.